Welcoming Alexandru Roman to MBS

Dr. Alexandru Roman relocated across the country from California to join the Maine Business School this fall. An Assistant Professor of Strategic Management, Dr. Roman earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside.

What inspired you to become a professor?

My father was a professor. He was the one who inspired me to join academia. He has always instilled in me the value of knowledge, creativity, and the need to uphold high professional and moral values.

What is your area of expertise?

My main areas of expertise and research interest are strategy and strategic management. A particular focus is human capital resources within the context of organizational performance.

How did you get interested in your field of study?

My first Ph.D. was in Public Administration. However, as my career progressed, my interest expanded significantly beyond my original focus on governmental and nonprofit organizations’ performance. As a result, I decided to pursue a second Ph.D. in Strategy and Organizations, in line with my newly developed research interests.

What classes do you teach at UMaine?

I teach Strategic Management and Global Supply Chain Network.

What are your expectations for your students?

My hope is that students will seize the moment and opportunity to reach their highest personal and professional expectations.

What do you enjoy doing outside of academia?

I am a huge sports fan – specifically, football and soccer. I follow Chelsea FC and the Kansas City Chiefs.

What advice did you wish you had received as an undergraduate student?

• There are several things that I wish I would have internalized more as an undergraduate student:
• Have a career plan. It does not need to be perfect, however, typically any plan is better than no plan.
• Most, if not all, large successes start small. Small early inputs (e.g., saving, investments, training, etc.) have significant aggregate impacts – such that success is nothing more than a function of small incremental changes.
• Starting any project (i.e., new skill, business, etc.) is typically the most difficult part. It usually gets easier after the initial struggles.
• There will never be a “perfect time” to succeed. My father used to say that if given enough time, one will always find convincing arguments not do something. As such – don’t give yourself too much time to dissuade yourself from success. As the cliche would have it – just do it!
• Life indeed “happens” while you wait to start living. Those who say that youth may be wasted on the young may have a point. Make it your job to prove them wrong.